March 28, 2024

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – A total of 518 scholars composed of police personnel, persons with disability, farmers, coffee professionals, and students are now graduates of the farm-to-cup community-based training of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority at the Philippine Nazarene College, on March 5.
One hundred fifty scholars attended the graduation ceremony physically while the rest attended via Zoom.
Of the 518 graduates, 89 finished the certificate of competency (COC) in Establish Mother Plant Garden Leading to Nursery Operation Level 2; 139 finished COC in Prepare Espresso Leading to Barista NC2; 86 finished COC in Plant Coffee Seedling Leading to Coffee Production Level 2; 139 finished COC in Develop Program Leading to Community Development Program Services NC2; and 84 finished COC in Roasting and Cupping Leading to Coffee Production Level 2.
Deputy Director General for Partnerships and Linkages Aniceto John Bertiz III who attended the graduation along with officials of the Tesda regional and provincial offices led by Regional Director Jeffrey Ian Dy congratulated the graduates and emphasized that the PWDs are one of the special clients of the agency.
Bertiz also said that the agency is pushing for an increase in the daily allowance of the scholars and urged them to avail the free three-year diploma programs of Tesda.
“Sa Tesda hindi lamang kayo magkakaroon ng kaalaman. Sagot pa namin ang inyong allowance,” he said.
He also thanked the Philippine National Police for helping boost skills training efforts benefitting indigenous peoples, former rebels, and others who live are in far-flung communities in the country.
The partnership between the Tesda and PNP was sealed through a memorandum of agreement signed on July 2020.
The partnership aims to upskill PNP personnel to become trainers and has been reaching thousands of special clients in isolated areas in the country.
Dy, meanwhile, urged the graduates to continue availing technical-vocational education and training to have national certificates that would enable them to apply for jobs.
One of the PWD graduates, Gloria Seguencia expressed her gratitude for the skills they learned.
“We may not see you physically but we can see your heart for opening this activity where we are given the privilege to join. Aside from the certificate, you led us to the starting point which acquiring is additional skills for us,” Seguencia said. – Press release